Interlude
by HikaruAsakura7
Summary: Saki Amamiya has a brief moment of contemplation before sunrise comes.


The starry sky is infinite, the world seems it had stopped, frozen in time and it would collapse at any second. Tokyo had disappeared. Their city was just a memory, their families, their friends, gone.

During quiet moments like this he can't help but to dwell on his thoughts. He could imagine another life, in which they would be just two simple teenagers, living in Tokyo. Maybe they were to have some fun on a saturday night after a long week of school. Would Airan enjoy karaoke or going to arcades just like him? She would be one of those students, focused on getting the highest grades, studying almost every single day. She would be at the top of her class, her classmates would either envy or admire her. Maybe she wouldn't have many friends.

Airan and him would be strangers, maybe passing by to each other at a crosswalk. An easier life, without this desperate need for a place to keep them safe. He would struggle to keep decent grades and not get in trouble. He had to make sure that Mom didn't had more stress in her life. Mom would be alive, smiling at him, eyes tired after a long week of work but always so sweet, so kind. Sadness was choking his throat, tears about to fall but he breathes, trying to stay present and alert.

He had someone to protect now.

He looked at Airan who had fallen asleep, after a long day of fighting against wandering ruffians on their way to the south of Japan, finding an small, abandoned house at the top of a cliff. Their only source of light was coming from a small lamp.

They had been walking for days, after losing their transport. Airan was angry, voicing her frustration muttering about those bloody monsters. But as they kept walking, witnessing the remnants of houses and dead bodies lying around, she had become silent and somber.

They had found a map and she guessed that they would find something in the nearest air base. At least with ruffians around they could get food almost easily, but there were always that feeling that anything could appear out of nowhere and attack them. He gathered all his resolve and strength to stay calm. But sometimes he was so restless that even sleeping wouldn't make him feel better. Airan did her best as well, but he had noticed her silent tears more than once. It had taken a while to know when to try to cheer her, when to give her some space.

Right now, they were isolated from the world, electricity was gone and the communications were down. They had no idea if the ruffians had reached the south. They hoped that there were some cities still intact, with people that could help them to leave the country. Airan said they maybe could go to America, or South Korea since she had some relatives living there. The worst case scenario would be trying to teleport and pray for reaching a better place. Airan had told him that would be dangerous, something that Achi had warned her.

Achi had been their savior and their worst enemy at the end. She might have disappeared but ruffians were still there and it would take more than an army to deal with them. Still they had no choice but to keep going. He could imagine Achi's voice telling him this was part of his training and the only thing that they could do was survive and get out of there.

If they wanted to have a family, to have a son. To see Isa again.

The vision of the future that Achi showed them made him feel happy and anxious at the same time. He wonders if he would become a good husband, a good father, a good human being. To remain human despite his blood.

"Saki"

He nearly jumped and by instinct he reached for his gun. It took a moment to realize that nothing was wrong and Airan had just stood up, walking towards him, wrapped in a blanket. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to..." she says, her voice low. "It's ok" "You seemed to be thinking of something..." she says, waiting for him to speak his mind. "I'm tired." Saki didn't want to make her feel worst. "I'm sorry..." Airan muttered. "If I could find a way to get a transport..." "it's not your fault that those ruffians damaged the only ship that we could get. " Saki tries to cheer her. "Now you have to rest properly so we can travel until that air base. Maybe they have an airship there." Airan nods, still looking downcast and Saki walks towards her, hugging her. For a moment she stays still until she reciprocated his gesture. "Thank you" she says after a while, letting each other go. "No need to thank me. Isn't that what... Um...a boyfriend should do?" Airan's wide smile makes him feel flustered. He was trying to get used to the idea of them being together as something more than just survival partners or friends. Everything was happening so fast.  
"Thank you, Saki" says Airan hugging him again, a quick kiss on his cheek. Well, she wasn't sad now. Then she just turned back to the spot where she had been sleeping and Saki stays there for a while, before returning to his guard. This time he stared at the sky with a warm feeling in his heart.

* * *

 **Author's note** : I haven't post here my attempts at writing in English before, since it's not my first language, but when I do is for cute stuff? lol

Maybe next time there will be explosions and epic battles just like in the game.


End file.
